Wearable, mobile and/or portable computer terminals are used for a wide variety of tasks. Such terminals allow the workers using them (“users”) to maintain mobility, while providing the worker with desirable computing and data-processing functions. Furthermore, such terminals often provide a communication link to a larger, more centralized computer system that directs the activities of the user and processes any collected data. One example of a specific use for a wearable/mobile/portable terminal is a product management system that involves product distribution and tracking as well as product inventory management.
Computerized product management systems with mobile terminals are used in various inventory/order-based industries, such as food and retail product distribution, manufacturing, and quality control, for example. An overall integrated product management system may utilize a central computer system that runs a program for product tracking and management and for order filling. A plurality of mobile terminals is employed by the users of the system to communicate (usually in a wireless fashion) with the central system for the product handling. The users perform various manual tasks, such as product picking and placement, per instructions they receive through the terminals, via the central system. The terminals also allow the users to interface with the computer system, such as to respond to inquiries or confirm the completion of certain tasks. Therefore, an overall integrated management system involves a combination of a central computer system for tracking and management, and the people who use and interface with the computer system in the form of order fillers, pickers and other workers. The workers handle the manual aspects of the integrated system under the command and control of information transmitted from the central computer system to the wireless mobile terminals worn by the users.
To provide an interface between the central computer system and the workers, such mobile terminals and the central systems to which they are connected may be voice-driven or speech-driven; i.e., the system operates using human speech. Speech is synthesized and played to the user, via the mobile terminal, to direct the tasks of the user and collect data. The user then answers or asks questions; and the speech recognition capabilities of the mobile terminal convert the user speech to a form suitable for use by the terminal and central system. Thereby, a bidirectional communication stream of information is exchanged over a wireless network between the wireless wearable terminals and the central computer system using speech.
Conventionally, mobile computer terminals having voice or speech capabilities utilize a headset device that is coupled to the mobile terminal. The terminal is worn on the body of a user, such as around the waist, and the headset connects to the terminal, such as with a cord or cable. The headset has a microphone for capturing the voice of the user for voice data entry and commands, and also includes one or more ear speakers for both confirming the spoken words of the user and also for playing voice instructions and other audio that are generated or synthesized by the terminal. Through the headset, the workers are able to receive voice instructions or questions about their tasks, ask and answer questions, report the progress of their tasks, and report working conditions, such as inventory shortages, for example. Therefore, in conventional mobile terminal systems, headsets are matched with respective terminals and worn by the user to operate in conjunction with the terminals.
An illustrative example of a set of worker tasks suitable for a wireless mobile terminal with speech capabilities may involve initially welcoming the worker to the computerized inventory management system and defining a particular task or order, for example, filling a load for a particular truck scheduled to depart from a warehouse. The worker may then answer with a particular area (e.g., freezer) that they will be working in for that order. The system then vocally directs the worker to a particular aisle and bin to pick a particular quantity of an item for the order. The worker then vocally confirms the location that they have gone to and vocally confirms the number of picked items, and/or various other information about the picked items. The system then directs the worker to the next items to be picked for the order, and this continues until the order is filled or otherwise completed. The system may then direct the worker to a loading dock or bay for a particular truck to receive the finished order. As may be appreciated, the specific communications exchanged between the wireless mobile terminal and the central computer system using speech can be task-specific and highly variable.
The mobile speech terminals provide a significant efficiency in the performance of the workers tasks. Specifically, using such terminals, the work is done virtually hands-free without equipment to juggle or paperwork to carry around. However, while existing speech systems provide hands-free operations, they also have various drawbacks associated with their configuration, and particularly with the headset and its interface with the mobile terminal.
One drawback with current systems is that the headset is attached to a terminal with a cord which extends generally from the terminal (typically worn on a belt) to the head of the worker where the headset is located. As may be appreciated, the workers are moving rapidly around their work area and are often jumping on and off forklifts, pallet loaders, and other equipment. Therefore, there is a possibility for a cord to get caught on some object, such as a forklift. When this occurs, the cord will tend to want to separate either from the headset or from the terminal, thus requiring repair or replacement. Generally, the cords are permanently attached to a headset and each worker maintains their own headset (e.g. for individual responsibility and/or hygiene purposes). The cords are then plugged into the terminals; therefore, the separation will generally occur at the terminal socket.
Attempts have been made to appropriately handle a snagged cord and cord separation to prevent such an event from rendering the terminal inoperable and in need of repair and replacement. One suitable approach is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,911, which is commonly owned with the present application. However, the loose and dangling cord still remains somewhat of an issue with voice-enabled mobile terminals and their headsets.
Attempts have been made to eliminate the cords between the headset and mobile terminals by using wireless headsets. For example, such an approach is set forth in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/303,271 entitled Wireless Headset and Method for Robust Voice Data Communication, filed Dec. 16, 2005, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. However, such a system still requires a separate mobile terminal for use with the headset. As may be appreciated, multiple headsets and mobile terminals increases the number of units that must be purchased, maintained and tracked at a facility. In a large warehouse facility, this may be a significant task and also present a significant cost in maintaining the equipment. Therefore, there is still a need to improve upon existing mobile terminal systems and particularly to improve upon such systems that are utilized in speech tasks or speech-enabled environments. One suitable solution is to incorporate the functionality of a speech terminal with a head-worn device. This eliminates the need for separate headsets and addresses the issues noted above. However, other issues have not been adequately addressed and thus there remains a need for a mobile head-worn terminal that is suitable for speech-directed applications.
Any solution to the above-noted issues must address wearability and control issues by providing a headset that is operable on both sides of the head without a significant positional shift in the layout of the terminal and its controls. Furthermore, since the headset terminal is worn for extended periods on the head, it must be comfortable for the user and readily positioned on either side of the head. Weight is also a consideration, as is complexity in the construction of the headset terminal. Because of the increased processing functions that are necessary in a speech-enabled headset terminal, the space usage, the circuit component layout, and necessary wiring must also be addressed in a suitably robust, yet aesthetically pleasing design. Loose or exposed wires or cables in a headset are unappealing and certainly undesirable in a work environment.
Power considerations are also an issue in a headset terminal, as the weight of a battery is no longer carried at the waist of a user. Any battery must be readily removable and replaceable without a complicated mounting assembly that adds complexity and weight to the overall headset design.
Furthermore, because of the increased functionality of a headset terminal, it must have the ability to operate wirelessly with an overall central system or other components.
Still further, in conventional headset/terminal assemblies, the users generally maintain their own headset for hygiene purposes and share the mobile terminals. Incorporating the terminal functionality into a headset eliminates the separate shared terminal, and thus there is a need to address the hygiene aspects of the work environment in a headset terminal, while allowing sharing of the headset terminal among various worker shifts.
Accordingly, there is a need, unmet by current communication systems and mobile terminals, to address the issues noted above. There is particularly an unmet need in the area of terminals for performing speech-directed work and other speech-directed tasks using synthesized speech and speech recognition.